Making amends (OUAH)
by J-Farraday
Summary: After an unfortunate incident, Toriel and Asgore are again face to face. Toriel once again took the opportunity to remind Asgore of his crime, that he killed six humans. But this time, things take a turn. Frisk expresses her feelings on the matter. She believes Asgore's maybe not the only one to blame… Is there a chance for the royals to ever make amends?


**It's normally related to my "Once Upon A Handplate" fanfic, like most of my short stories. However, this one also works perfectly as an independant Undertale fanfiction.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. "Undertale" and its characters belong to Toby Fox.**

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A heavy atmosphere was ruling the house of the former queen and her daughter. It always was this way whenever Asgore would show up for a reason or another. Toriel obviously still held a serious grudge against him for what he's done years ago. This time however, things were worse, since an unpleasant inciden happened, Asgore being indirectly responsible of it. And so, here the (practically ex) spouses were face to face in the living room. Like usually, Toriel was giving the king that sharp look, which pained him. Frisk was there too, standing in the middle of the two, her gaze switching nervously from one goat monster to another. She knew she couldn't hope for a calm and nice evening. After a moment of the unbearable silence, Toriel turned her head to her adoptive daughter and said:  
"Go upstairs, Frisk. Asgore and I are up for some serious talk."  
"But Mom…"  
"It's not up to debate." - Toriel insisted firmly.  
Frisk sighed. She knew she couldn't argue against her mother. If anything, it would only make things worse. So, after giving Asgore a look of sympathy, Frisk turned around and went upstairs. But she didn't go to her room. Instead, Frisk sat down against the wall next to the stairs so she could hear what would be said.  
On the ground floor, the two monsters didn't say anything for another short while. Until Toriel let out a sharp sigh and finally spoke.  
"I hope this is the last time such a thing happens, Dreemurr." - she said, sounding bossy.  
"Toriel, I had no idea the reporters would react this way. If I knew-" - Asgore attempted to explain himself, but was cut off.  
"You could've reasonably predicted it! Do you realize the stress you put Frisk through? She's yet so young, being an embassador at this age is pressuring, even when in training! You, being a king for long decades, should know that if reporters are unsatisfied by your sayings, they will turn to Frisk or Papyrus!"  
"I know all that. I've answered their questions the best of my abilities. I can't help that they're always too eager for more." - Asgore replied with a sorry look - "Yes, I had mentioned working with embassadors on the projects, but the mention was harmless. I didn't think they'd go wait for Frisk at the gate of her school!"  
"As though you don't know how the brain of a reporter works, Asgore!" - Toriel exclaimed, outraged - "The poor girl was completely caught off guard! She's had a long day at school, and then she gets assaulted by reporters with questions she's yet unable to properly answer to! Luckily I came there on time to lead her away! Her face was so pale when I saw her being surrounded by all these people! I expect a cleverer choice of words the next time."  
"Look, I am truly sorry, Toriel." - Asgore said with honesty - "I admit I'm not perfect, both as a ruler and person. But I do try my best."  
"Oh, really?" - Toriel gave him a hard and sceptic look - "Like back in the Underground, when you failed to supervise the two Royal Scientists and let them do whatever they wanted in their labs? Are you saying you've tried 'your best' too?"  
"I actually trusted them, Toriel!" - the king protested.  
"And I trusted __you__, back then! I trusted you to be a __reasonable__ king, who knows better than endangering everyone around!" - Toriel went on - "It looks like you haven't learned from your mistakes during all these years."  
"Toriel... I know that I've wronged you, when I declared war to humanity. And I feel remorse to this day. I know I can't change anything about what I've done. But I'm trying to be a better person, I'm doing my best to ensure peace between the two races. I understand your unwillingness to forgive me, but can you please allow me make amends with the people? Including with Frisk?"  
Toriel wasn't looking at Asgore. She had her arms crossed over her chest. She hated to hear him talk this way. There was no way she'd allow herself feel for him. He didn't deserve her compassion.  
"Just... what must I do so you understand that I'm trying to change?" - Asgore asked, heartbroken by Toriel's coldness - "Why must you disapprove __everything__ I do nowadays?"  
"Why did you have to kill all those youths?" - Toriel faced him, her voice cracking subtly - "I know they maybe weren't all innocent, but you had no right to take their lives!"  
"Then why didn't you __stop me__?!"  
As soon as the words left Asgore's mouth, the room suddenly fell silent. Asgore had a truly heartbroken expression, while Toriel's eyes rounded some, taken aback by what Asgore just said.  
"W-What...?" - Toriel finally managed to say in a half-whisper, still processing.  
"You could've... no, you __should've__ stopped me, Toriel..!" - Asgore said, his blue and orange eyes glimmering - "I... The day I... declared war on humanity… there was a part of me that… hoped you'd stop me. ...Yet you didn't."  
Neither of the two Boss Monsters spoke for a little while. Toriel didn't know what to answer to this. She didn't know how to feel about this. But she then regained her composure, unwilling to surrender to the words of the monster she had once loved. She raised her head and spoke again, though her voice didn't sound as firm as before.  
"You were a fully grown king, Asgore. You were fully responsible and in control of your actions."  
"I was... But I thought that it was part of marriage to protect each other from reckless acts." - Asgore looked down, his golden hair covering his upper face - "I'm not excusing my decision... Nothing can excuse it. This moment of grief just the one I needed you the most."  
Toriel was left speechless for another moment. Closing her eyes and letting out a quiet sigh, she said with a light frown:  
"I believe there's nothing left to say."  
It was her (usual) indirect request to leave. After another moment, Asgore silently turned around and walked to the door. But before leaving the house, Asgore said:  
"Could you please tell Frisk that I'm sorry?"  
Very faintly, almost unnoticeably, Toriel nodded. It was all Asgore needed before leaving the house. Once the door closed, Toriel sat down on the couch, burying her forehead in her furry palm. But she then looked up when she heard footsteps. She saw Frisk standing on the stairs, looking at her with an upset expression.  
"You've been eavesdropping, weren't you?" - Toriel asked.  
"Asgore has a point, you know." - Frisk said, ignoring Toriel's statement.  
"Wha-... How can you say such a thing?" - Toriel straightened her posture on the couch - "He murdered six humans; some were __children__ like yourself!"  
"I know... I'm not arguing that he killed them and that it was wrong." - Frisk said lowering her eyes, then added with a quieter tone - "But you could've saved those children yourself."  
"Frisk..! How dare you-... You __know__ that I've __tried__!" - Toriel exclaimed, shocked to hear blaming from her own child - "I've tried to convince them to stay with me, but they didn't listen! I've told them it was dangerous to venture in the Underground, that Asgore would take their SOULs! I've told them the same things I told you, before you left the Ruins. But like you, they left anyway."  
"You really don't understand, Mom..." - Frisk shook her head - "What choice did we have back then? We had no idea of what was going on! You didn't take the time to explain who Asgore was, nor why he'd want my SOUL. Or even why it was dangerous outside of the Ruins."  
"I just didn't want to shock you... I thought that if you were comfortable enough around me, you wouldn't need to worry about a thing." - Toriel tried to explain - "I thought that it wasn't necessary to burden you with the scary stories..."  
"But I was fated to figure out by myself anyway..! How was __that__ any better..?!" - Frisk yelled, as her eyes started to glimmer with tears.  
"Don't raise your voice at me, Frisk!" - Toriel sternly called her back to order.  
"No..! I had to figure out everything by myself! About the war, about Asriel and Chara, about the SOULs... all the while trying to not be killed by other monsters! And it was only when I almost made it to New Home that I knew the issue..! That if I wanted to leave, killing Asgore was the only way! And that if I didn't, __he__ would __kill me__! You knew all this and didn't tell me…"  
Frisk's body was shuddering by this point and it became difficult to fight back her tears. Toriel didn't dare to say anything in return, allowing her daughter to go on.  
"You let me go... knowing what awaited me... and denied me the possibility to come back..." - the girl said with a sniffle - "...I kept going, knowing I had no home where I'd be welcome... You told me to never return... and left the door sealed close... Did you do the same with all the others..?"  
"Frisk, I..." - Toriel got on edge of tears herself.  
But she stopped, not knowing what she could say. How could she possibly explain her action?  
"If they got killed, it's... it's because they had no place where they could return to and be safe... right..?" - Frisk wiped away a sliding tear.  
"No..." - Toriel breathed out.  
"Where would I've gone, if I had decided to turn around..?" - the human girl asked, as more tears fell - "There was no place where I could've stayed! And there was still Asgore..! Do you know how scared I was as I kept walking to the throne room..? Do you know how it was like for me, to travel knowing that I was unwanted..? Many times, I've asked myself what I did so wrong that you didn't want to ever see me again..! That another mother __left__ me?"  
Toriel gasped as she heard what Frisk said. Her tears fell down and she reached her hand, in an attempt to comfort Frisk any way, but the girl backed away from her reach. With a now uncontrollable crying, Frisk rushed to the door and then out of the house.  
"Frisk..!" - Toriel called out for her.  
The human girl kept running without looking back. Toriel fell on her knees, and her tears kept falling, as she muttered unheard apologies.  
"I'm sorry, Frisk... I'm turly sorry..."  
On her hand, Frisk kept running in an indefinite direction, as her tears kept running across her cheeks and down to her neck. At some point she stopped, and sat down on a bench opposite of the lake and kept crying there, not caring if there was anyone around to see her.

**_**The Underground, one year ago **_**

Echo flowers was all Frisk could see as she was walking through the aquatic field. Those bioluminescent flowers were everywhere and its cyan light in the dark room was creating a peaceful atmosphere. It was a nice place to relax at, and Frisk would do just that… if the captain of the royal guard wasn't after her. Frisk just had almost been striked down by Undyne, but thanks to Monster Kid and his fanatism towards the guard, it gave the human girl the opportunity to get away. Undyne had let Frisk go because she had to get Monster Kid away from there. Due to this, Frisk knew she really had to move along. But the echo flowers had intrigued the girl, being a true wonder of (magic) nature. Despite her fear from the knowledge of being hunted, Frisk liked to pause near each of those flowers to hear what it had to say. Approaching a flower, the girl heard the continuation of a passing conversation she's already witnessed a couple of flowers ago.  
"...hmmm... if I say my wish... You promise you won't laugh at me?" - the recorded voice from the flower said.  
Frisk moved to the next flower. Truth to be told, the water of the field was reaching her knees and it was pretty unpleasant that her feet already got very wet. She should've been more concerned about quickly walking to the firm ground, but Frisk was quite captured by the conversation. She really was curious to know its ending.  
"Of course I won't laugh!" - the other voice said from the flower.  
Frisk walked to the next flower with a curious look. The cyan flower said:  
"Someday, I'd like to climb this mountain we're all buried under. Standing under the sky, looking at the world all around... That's my wish."  
The human child felt quite moved by what the person had said. The wish was just so beautiful and… saddening. Hearing this and other sayings in those flowers made Frisk realize that monsters weren't very happy being trapped underground. She could understand their desire to see the surface world, see the actual sky, with the sun, the moon and real stars. Not to mention actual weather and change of seasons. Frisk could understand the appeal of the unknown. If she fell down in the Underground, it was exactly because she was curious to see something unlike the world she knew and lived in. Moving to the next flower, Frisk heard a laughter coming from it.  
"... hey, you said you wouldn't laugh at it!" - the voice said, offended that the other person broke their promise.  
With a light chuckle, Frisk approached the last flower. What she heard made her feel even more sorry for the monsters.  
"Sorry, it's just funny… That's my wish, too." - the other voice said.  
__"I had no idea… I've always seen my world as being too ordinary, and sometimes a bit dull. That I'll find ___**_more_**___ among monsters."__ \- Frisk mused - __"But maybe I took what we have for granted. We have many wonders that monsters just can't see… and have been deprived of by force."__ Maybe life on the Surface wasn't very exciting, but at least she was free. With those thoughts, Frisk walked to the firm dry ground and smiled, satisfied that she was finally out of the water. She removed her shoes for a moment, to get rid of the water inside. Once done, she put them back on and was about to move on, but then she swore she heard movement in the water behind, along with some… talking? With a frown, Frisk backtracked, and soon she saw a familiar yellow silouette. It was Flowey. No longer caring about the water, Frisk rushed towards the figure, but the flower quickly disappeared under the ground before she had a chance to reach him. __"Is that creep following me?"__ \- Frisk wondered as she gazed around her. Freaked out, Frisk was about to rush away from there, but then she stopped as she heard the echo flower talk. It was saying a different phrase from earlier. Leaning closer, Frisk's heart skipped a beat when she recognized it to be… __Toriel__'s voice!  
"Where oh where could that child be...?" - the goat woman's voice said with the motherly concern - "I've been looking all over for her…"  
__"Toriel… She's looking for me?"__ \- Frisk thought. The girl's eyes teared up, as a feeling of hope warmed up her heart. Toriel - no, her mother - was looking for her. She wanted to see her again! A smile started to form on Frisk's face. But quickly enough, it fell. Because Toriel's voice then switched to __Flowey__'s voice.  
"Hee hee hee. THAT'S not true." - the voice sneered - "She'll find another kid, and instantly forget about you. You'll NEVER see her again."  
Right when those words were spoken, reality hit Frisk hard again. Feeling suddenly cold inside, Frisk walked slowly through across the field. __"Of course she wouldn't look for me…"__ \- she thought sadly - __"She specifically said that I couldn't return… her goodbye was a farewell."__ When she reached the firm ground, she got rid of the water in her shoes again. __"I decided to leave, and so I will never see her again."__ \- Frisk thought as she sat down on the ground - __"I lost the only mother I had… again."__ Suddenly feeling very exhausted, drained of all her force, she let herself fall on her back, staring at the ceiling dark as the night sky. __"I should've stayed in the Ruins…"__ \- she thought - __"We'd still be together…"__ Frisk felt that her throat was in pain and her vision started to blur due to upcoming tears. __"Did I... really upset her this much? Why doesn't she want me to return?"__ Tears started to flow down her cheeks. __"Why… Why, Mom..?"__ Frisk then covered her face with her hands, even though it was pointless, and unsuccessfully tried to suppress her sobs. __"...Why did you leave me..?"__ \- she thought as hot tears were trailing down her cheeks like rivers. With a quiet broken voice, she said:  
"Why must I brave the world alone… Why did you leave me, Mom?"  
At this point, Frisk wasn't even sure what mom was she talking to. Was it Toriel, or her birth mother who had died? But in the end… it didn't really matter. Both her mothers left her life way too soon. Flowey's last words "You'll never see her again." hit her heart like a dagger. Because she knew it was true. Frisk wouldn't see either of her mothers again. And so, Frisk kept crying on the cold ground, forgetting all about her damp clothes or even about Undyne. All she knew was that she was alone. So alone…

**_**Present day**_**

As Frisk was crying and reliving the sad memory from her journey, she didn't notice someone walk closer. She blenched with a gasp when she felt a huge hand rest on her shoulder. The thirteen years old girl turned around to see that it was Asgore. The king had a very concerned look in his eyes.  
"King Asgore..." - Frisk muttered - "I... thought you returned at your home...?"  
"I needed a walk in the fresh air first. It does good when you're sad." - Asgore said, before sitting next to the girl - "But why are you here crying alone? What happened?"  
"I... I had an unpleasant talk with Mom..." - Frisk replied - "I told her that I thought you were right about... what you told her."  
"Oh. So you heard that? I thought you were in your room."  
"...Sorry. But I needed to be sure nothing too bad happened downstairs. I was worried." - Frisk explained, looking down.  
"I understand." - Asgore nodded with a faint smile, not minding that Frisk had eavesdropped - "But what happened next? You've told Toriel that you... agreed with my statement. I bet she didn't like it."  
"She didn't... But then, I think I said that she could've saved the other fallen humans by leaving the door to the Ruins open... and that it's because she didn't that they died."  
"If those humans died, it was because I killed them..." - Asgore said with a remorseful look - "I had a choice not to, but I did."  
"But I think they'd have had a chance if they had a place where they'd be safe... I know that, because Mom's home was where I felt the safest during my entire journey." - Frisk said with a sad expression - "And when I couldn't return, it was as though I was abandoned... I was left to face all the dangers by myself, it was scary... I already lost a mother once. It was just hard to relive that for a second time."  
"Oh dear... I'm so sorry you had to go through that." - the king of monsters then picked Frisk up and made her sit on his lap, but then he realized what he just did - "Oh, um… Sorry, is it okay for you if I do that? I used to do that with my children back then…"  
"It's... It's alright, King Asgore. I don't mind." - Frisk replied shyly.  
"Good." - Asgore smiled a relieved smile, before his features turned seriouser - "I'm sorry for everything you had to go through during your journey, Frisk. I know that my deeds can't be justified. But like I told your mother, I intend to do better. Not only regarding humankind in general, but also regarding you specifically. If something's bothering you, like stress due to your duties as the embassador, we can always talk about those things."  
"Thank you... It's true that some things are a little complicated..." - Frisk admitted.  
"That's normal, you're yet very young. But in due time, you'll figure it out. And I'm there to help." - Asgore then ruffled the girl's hair - "You and Papyrus will both become great embassadors."  
"I hope so." - Frisk said with a tiny smile.  
"Also, I'll try my best to avoid you trouble like today with the reporters." - the king added - "I'll make sure nobody ever disturbs you like this during your private times. I'm sorry for today's incident."  
"It's okay, no harm was done. I was just surprised and a little nervous. Mom honestly made of it a too big deal..."  
"Well, I understand her. I wouldn't like somebody disturb my children like this. Despite everything, Toriel works very hard at being the best mother she can. And she did so for as long as I remember."  
"I just wish she had properly explained me everything, instead of locking me out in the cold forest..." - Frisk said, lowering her head - "This aside, she's been a perfect mom."  
"There's no such thing as perfection. Toriel may not be a perfect mother, but neither am I a perfect king. We all make mistakes, but we do our best." - Asgore explained with a smile.  
"I guess you're right..." - Frisk finally smiled on her turn.  
"Are you feeling better now, Frisk?" - the king of monsters asked - "Do you think you can return home and make up with your mother?"  
"Yes... Yes, I do feel better. And I'll apologize to Mom for being a bit harsh."  
"I'll walk you back home. It's getting late." - Asgore stood up, carrying the human girl in his arms.  
"Whoa-?" - Frisk cried in surprise.  
"What's the matter? Afraid to be picked up?"  
"I was just startled, hehe... I actually haven't been picked up in a long while. Not since my other mom died..."  
Asgore felt sad for Frisk when he saw the look in her eyes at the last part. But he then tightened his grip on her, in a comforting manner. As he started to slowly walk in the direction of Toriel's house, Frisk seemed to relax and maybe even enjoy herself.  
"Won't Mom kill you if she sees us that way, though?" - the girl asked a tidy concerned, yet with some amusement.  
"I'll just put you down before we arrive." - Asgore replied with a gentle expression.  
Soon after this exhange, they arrived to the street where Frisk lived. As the house was in sight, Asgore put Frisk down like promised. The two walked to the door and, seeing that it wasn't locked, Frisk allowed herself to just enter. Toriel, who was sitting on the couch, got her eyes lit up when she saw her girl return home.  
"Mom..!" - was all Frisk said as she rushed to her mother.  
The child wrapped her arms around her adoptive mother in a tight hug, which Toriel returned without second thoughts. The mother didn't even notice Asgore standing at the threshold.  
"I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier, Mom..." - Frisk said after a moment.  
"Frisk..." - Toriel breathed out as she stood up from the couch, lifting her daughter a little before putting her back down - "No, __I'm__ sorry for doing what I did in the Ruins."  
Frisk looked up at Toriel, who had a look of regret in her eyes. Stroking her child's brown hair, Toriel went on.  
"I realize now what my action meant to you... And I was wrong to let you venture on your own, totally oblivious to what's going on. You had to learn it the hard way because of me, and I sincerely apologize."  
"It's okay... It's all in the past now." - Frisk replied with a small forgiving smile - "I promise you I'll never blame you ever again."  
"And I promise to never expose you to a danger ever again." - Toriel said seriously - "I'll have a better judgement in the future. Also... I know how much it hurt you to lose your first mother, Frisk. But I swear that you will __not__ lose me. I won't __ever__ abandon you, my child, nor make you feel as though I did."  
Feeling moved again, Frisk buried her face into Toriel's purple Delta Rune dress. As she rubbed the human's back in a soothing motion, Toriel finally realized that Asgore was there. Feeling tense under her gaze, Asgore said:  
"Um... Sorry, I shall leave. I just wanted make sure it was all okay between you two..."  
"Mom, King Asgore actually helped me to feel better." - Frisk said, looking up at her mother - "I was sitting alone in the park and I just couldn't stop crying. But then he came. We chatted for some time and it calmed me down."  
"...Oh. Well, that was very... considerate and... nice from you, Asgore." - Toriel admitted, before adding with mild nervousness - "...Thank you. For helping Frisk feel better. And for escorting her back home."  
"It was no problem, Tori... el."  
A part within Toriel was amused by how Asgore hurried to correct himself to not call her by her former nickname. Asgore then stepped back, saying with a tone of courtesy:  
"I shall not disturb you two any longer. Have a good evening."  
And then, he turned around and proceeded to walk away. But before he went too far from the house, he heard the call of Toriel's voice.  
"Wait..!"  
The king stopped. He slowly turned around and saw that Toriel was on the midway between the front door and him. The former queen then looked down, feeling a little uncomfortable.  
"Yes? What is it, Toriel?" - Asgore encouraged her to speak up.  
"Well... I just thought... I'm pleasantly surprised by how well you treat Frisk and... I'm grateful you brought her back home. I realized that we... should get better along, and not let the past poison our interactions... Perhaps I haven't been very fair towards you."  
Toriel paused. It has been a while since she's talked with Asgore with a so gentle tone, and it felt strange to do so again. Strange, but not necessarily bad. Looking up into Asgore's eyes, she offered:  
"Would you like to join us tomorrow for dinner? I thought it would... set up a more friendly base. It would also be a nice opportunity for us to just… talk? What do you say to that..?"  
After this, Toriel didn't say a word. Asgore didn't say anything either for a short while, with an expression of pleasant surprise. But then, the monster king smiled and replied:  
"I'd be honored to join you and Frisk tomorrow evening."  
"...Sweet. So, uh... you can come by at... say, 6 o'clock?"  
"That works fine." - Asgore replied - "Good evening, Toriel."  
"Good evening to you too, Asgore."  
Toriel then smiled at him for the very first time in many years. Then, she elegantly turned around and walked back inside. Asgore noticed Frisk being at the window and so he gave her a quick handwave. The girl returned it eagerly. Asgore then resumed his way back to his old home. He lived there all alone, and his heart usually felt heavy when returning there. That night however, Asgore felt light inside.

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**A/N: Since Asgore and Toriel are back together in my main fic, I always wanted to explore what made them reconcile. Here you have the first step. :)**  
**Don't worry, Frisk wasn't holding the grudge against Toriel for an entire year about what happened in the Underground. It's just that when she heard what Asgore said to Toriel, it made her relive some of the pain she had experienced back then and so it all went out. But it's a good thing she spoke it up, because talking about issues permits to keep a relationship clean. **

**I believe that Toriel needed somebody to point out her own flaws and mistakes, to properly realize she must forgive Asgore too. (It's possible that "Growthspurt" inspired me..?) Again, I don't hate Toriel! But I believe that she still has a part of responsability in what happened. She could've saved the humans by leaving them a possibility to come back to her. (Or she could've intervened in the battle against Asgore when the first of the six fell, like she did with Frisk…) And thus, it's not fair to blame only Asgore. Yes, he killed the humans. But Toriel could've been more active in protecting them too. **

**Oh, and if Frisk is at ease around Asgore, it's because a year passed since the Barrier was broken. Asgore had apologized to her by the time and Frisk got to know him, and work at his side as well. Frisk got to see what kind of a person Asgore really is. And it won't take very long from that point until she starts to call him by just his given name. ("Dad" will come much later.)**


End file.
